Page 7 of My Three Enemies
Dax’s door creaking open wakes me and I sit up in the bed, still groggy from my nap. Gray stands in the doorway with a tray of food in his hands and a look on his face, wordlessly asking for forgiveness. Dax trails behind him with a pitcher of chilled water and a tall glass in his hands.
I don't say anything, but the brothers enter the room and sit at the foot of the bed anyway. I cross my legs and look at them while Gray pushes the tray closer to me.
“You should eat something.” Even though he says it like a suggestion, I know better than to push it away. Part of me wants to in retaliation for what they put me through, but my stomach's loud gurgling betrays me.
I reach forward and tentatively grab one of the sandwiches they prepared, holding it close and eyeing the turkey, cheese, and lettuce before taking a bite.
Dax and Gray sit silently while they watch me eat, and I almost feel like I'm in some kind of alien zoo.
Like they're studying me to learn more about humans and their habits.
Jackson walks in and I stare at him, waiting for him to toss me one of those glares I’m quickly learning is a signature look, but he doesn't. There's something softer about him now.
“Can you tell us something about yourself that you are willing to share?” Gray asks, keeping his eyes glued to mine.
I think about it for a moment and try to come up with an answer that would be appropriate. Truthfully, I'm a very simple person. All my life my world has been incredibly small. I've known very few people, and I've experienced very few things.
“I guess I'm not really that interesting,” I say, shrugging while I try to think. “I read a lot, and I love romance and thriller books. But when I watch movies, I like stoner comedies and horror. I've never really been into rom-coms.”
They surprise me with genuine interest in the books I’ve read, and even grow excited to discuss some my favorite movies that they have copies of at the cabin.
My collection of media back home is small, and I often found myself rereading or rewatching.
They weren't even things I picked out for myself.
All of it came from my mom's collection before she left.
My father didn't care to bring me new books or movies.
Keeping me entertained was the least of his worries.
“Do I get to ask you guys any questions now?” I ask, finishing a second sandwich and wiping crumbs off my hands.
For the first time since being in the room, the hardness in Jackson's expression returns and he shoots Gray a look, subtly shaking his head.
“That depends on what you want to ask,” Gray answers, ignoring Jackson's stare.
“How old are you guys?”
Gray laughs, apparently surprised that's the question I chose to ask out of everything else in the world. “Each of us is two years apart. I'm the oldest, and I'm forty-two. Jackson, the epitome of the middle child, is forty, and Dax is thirty-eight.”
Jackson rolls his eyes and I can't help but laugh to myself.
“I always wished that I had siblings growing up,” I admit, a familiar hollowness in my chest. “Whenever I see stories with close siblings, it makes me jealous.”
“So you're an only child?” Dax asks, raising an eyebrow. He seems amused that he got some kind of an answer out of me unintentionally.
Before I can say anything else about it, all three of them jump up and look at each other, their postures defensive. I sit upright, moving to stand on the floor before Gray holds his hand out to stop me.
“Stay here, Emma,” he warns me as Jackson and Dax run out of the room. “Someone's here. Outside the cabin. We have to go check it out, but you need to stay put.”
He doesn't waste another moment telling me what to do, clearly thinking I'm just going to obey him. I stay put in the bed for a moment, wondering what could possibly be happening. I didn't hear anything outside. How could they possibly know someone was nearby?
Either way, opportunity seems to be on my side once more. This is my chance to escape whatever is happening here.
When the front door slams shut, I bolt out of the bed and run into the living room searching for the laundry.
Eventually, I find it in another closet in the kitchen, and my clothes are in the dryer.
I put my pants on and button them, not bothering to take off the t-shirt I'm wearing.
I just grab my sweater and throw it on , thankful for the extra layer.
It's possible that my father’s found me.
Whoever's outside could be one of his guards who tracked me to the cabin.
If that's the case, either me or the three brothers could be in danger.
My father will stop at nothing to get me back.
I feel guilty that I didn't tell them the truth.
They could be running into the situation completely unprepared.
I go to the knife block on the kitchen counter, and I grab the biggest one. If I'm going to be out there, I'm going to be prepared.
I peek out one of the windows trying to look for the brothers, but I don't see them anywhere. I make my way to the front door and bolt, running through the woods with a knife in my hand. But I don't even make it a hundred feet when I see a large, towering brown bear.
It hears me and whips its head around, growling and rearing up on its hind legs. Not long after, two other bears come to its side. Once again I'm cursing my lack of outdoors knowledge because I have absolutely no clue what I'm supposed to do here.
The three bears rush toward me and my fight or flight reflexes kick in. I skitter to a stop and race back to the cabin. I don't turn around, but I can hear the bears chasing after me.
The steps to the cabin are within view and I drop the knife and push myself even faster, desperate to run inside and slam the door shut. I climb the first two steps and I’ve nearly made it, but that slim hope vanishes when the top of my shoe snags on the third step.
The floor surges up to meet me everything around me goes dark.